If I ever harbored doubts that Colin and I had a past together, those doubts have now crystallized into
certainty.
It was not just Colin I knew–I was also acquainted with Carter.
The fact that Carter’s sister had hung this photo in such a prominent ce suggested that my
rtionship with Colin and Carter was once quite significant.
“What’s the connection between those three?” I turn to Zoe, seeking answers.
She curled up a bit more, fear etched on her face, and whispered, “My brother’s… friends.”
My gaze settled on Colin’s photo for a long, drawn–out moment.
Colin, in his youth, seemed colder, more aloof, with that distant air of genius about him. Yet his eyes
were like those of a bashful fawn, skittish and darting.
“The police have been to see you, haven’t they?” I pivoted back, lowering my voice to a hush.
Of course, they must have questioned her at the first opportunity, but the fact that they didn’t detain her
indicated ack of evidence–or something that cleared her of suspicion.
“She deserves to die…” Zoe muttered under her breath, hugging her knees. “She’s the worst…”
“Did you send Hickey to kill Melody?” I edged closer to the bed, my question direct.
Zoe looked dazed, clearly not all there mentally.
Yet, she confessed, “Yes…”
No matter what you asked, she would confess.
The police probably had no grounds to hold her ountable.
“What poison did Hickey use on Melody? Where did you get it?” I pressed on.
Zoe looked up at me, her voice faint. “Roundup… kills weeds, pests.“,
She was taking all the me upon herself, but with her intellectual challenges and theck of concrete
evidence, plus the absence of a legal guardian, Zoe’s admission brought the police’s investigation to
another dead end.
“Who gave you the Roundup?” I continue my inquiry.
“Roundup, no cure, enters the bloodstream, no hope…” Zoe hugged her head, mumbling as if
repeating someone else’s words.
It was clear as day–this was incitement to murder.
Someone had manipted Zoe into bribing Hickey to kill Melody.
“Who told you about this?” I challenged her. Zoe’s mental capacity wouldn’t allow her to know
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that once Roundup entered the bloodstream, the victim would be doomed, that it offered pain and
regret but no chance at life.
Survival after ingesting Roundup was nearly impossible.
Once it was injected into Melody, her blood would be swiftly contaminated, her organs slowly fibrosing
until she could no longer breathe, dying in agony.
Zoe just shook her head, repeating. “It was me, it was me.”
She refused to reveal her instigator.
I didn’t push further; if the police couldn’t extract the truth, I stood little chance. I simply kept my eyes
on her, searching for my own answers.
“Zoe.” I turned, pointing to the photo. “Can you tell me about the three people in this picture?”
“Carter,” Zoe seemed eager to share, her fear dissipating. She hopped off the bed and rushed to the
photo. “Colin, and this one is…”
Zoe’s excitement bubbled over as she pointed to the girl in the red dress in the middle–‘Phoebe
Caldwell‘ and looked perplexed for a moment. “That’s you.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I stared at Zoe in shock. “No, you’re mistaken. We just look alike.”
Zoe shook her head, confused. “I remember you… it’s you. Carter said he didn’t care for you. that you
always fought with him over Colin.”
My nerves tightened. “I… fought with him over Colin?”
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“Colin was Carter’s best friend; they were always together, and both got into the Genius ss. But
Colin kept leaving Carter to be with you. Carter wanted to follow, but Colin wouldn’t let him.” Zoe’s
voice carried a note of sadness. “Carter was so heartbroken; he cried in my arms for a long time. He
said that you and Colin didn’t want him anymore.”
Suddenly, Zoe’s demeanor changed as she looked up at me, her anger ring. “Why did you have to
take Colin away? Why take him if you won’t cherish him? Why hurt them? You’re the one who deserves
to die!”